A Christmas message

Kevin formal

As we celebrate Christmas, and come to the end the first decade of the 21st century, there is much to look forward to and even more to reflect on. We all want to see the end of the recession but we also need to see the end of this failed Government.

But, at Christmas, it is also worth remembering that away from politics, elections and recessions we should also be thinking about those for which Christmas might not be a time of family and gifts.

We must not forget that there are many in our country whose lives are very much less fortunate. There are children in our country who live below the poverty line and whose families survive on less than £120 per week after housing costs and taxes. In fact there are 4 million children - one in three - for whom this is a fact of life and disgracefully we have one of the highest rates of child poverty in the industrialised world. But poverty equally applies to a great number of elderly people who live in much the same sort of poverty where heating and food become a real struggle. The Labour party cannot lecture anyone about solving the problems of poverty.

But this year I also want us to think about our armed forces. This has been a terrible year for casualties in Afghanistan and whatever you might feel about why we are in Afghanistan we are there and now need to see the end of this war. But the President Obama surge in troops also means that next year is likely to see even higher levels of casualties amongst our brave men and women in the armed forces.